One of the most important parts of any medical office administration is the billing department. Health care is expensive and luckily most people have some form of health insurance. When they are ill and have to visit the doctor or a hospital, they aren’t thinking about how the medical billing and coding process works. They are most concerned with getting quality medical care.

Although most medical offices have a few medical assistants who take on most of the administrative duties, a medical billing assistant is a great idea. This person has specific training that enables them to handle every possible situation that may come up that is related to billing. This is a rewarding and lucrative position.

Education

In order to specialize as a medical billing assistant it’s suggested that a person pursue the educational requirements needed to become a medical assistant. From there they can take an additional course that is focused strictly on medical billing. These medical billing courses range in length depending on what school is offering it, but the student can expect to spend an additional eight months on average studying billing. Once their educational requirements are completed at any accredited medical billing and coding schools they can then take on a job in this field.

Job Description

The responsibilities of this job depend largely on the type of medical environment they are in. For instance a medical billing assistant in a hospital can expect to spend much of their day concentrating solely on billing. That is because in a hospital or nursing home, there is generally one medical billing specialist department that handles all the accounting for the institution. When one takes on a job in a doctor’s office they are likely going to have additional administrative responsibilities that include greeting patients, answering phones and even typing correspondence.

Duties

Medical billing can be a complicated process. This is particularly true when dealing with the various private insurance companies. Each has its own approach to how the claim process works and each typically has their own unique claim form. The medical billing assistant is responsible for filling out each form correctly and ensuring it has all the proper information and appropriate signatures. Most people look to the doctor’s office to submit their claim for them, so these have to be completed and submitted in a very quick manner.

Occasionally a dispute may arise between the doctor’s office and the patient regarding billing or between the patient and their insurance company. It’s the billing assistant’s responsibility to ensure that all problems like this are taken care of. They often are looked to as a go between to work out the conflict between their patient and the insurance company. For this reason a medical billing assistant must be patient and must be able to handle pressure well and in return you can expect your medical billing and coding salary to reflect all the work you will required to do.

Unfortunately death is the ultimate end of life. Determining how someone died is often vitally important to their family members. This is particularly true when a young person dies or someone dies under suspicious circumstances. A medical examiner assistant is an important person when it comes to helping solve the puzzle surrounding a person’s death. The assistant works closely with the pathologist to find a cause of death.

Becoming A Medical Examiner Assistant

In order to work in this field, an individual needs some fairly comprehensive training. This begins with a doctor of medicine degree. They must also be certified by the American Board of Pathology. Most states also require that the individual be licensed in that state. Even though the educational requirements may seem daunting at first, they do give way to a lifelong career that is both lucrative and fascinating.

Pathology Assistant Duties

The job responsibilities that a medical examiner assistant takes on depend on each individual office. There are strict requirements in almost every state that involve the presence of a pathologist when the medical assistant is working. Although the pathologist conducts all of the autopsies, the pathologist assistant does help in certain key ways.

One way that an assistant is often utilized is in dealing with the family and law enforcement. The medical examiner prepares the report that states what the cause of death is and the assistant is then responsible for speaking with the family as well as law enforcement if the death was labeled suspicious. For this reason a person must be compassionate when they want to pursue this as a career choice. Death is difficult for many people and explaining the cause of death to a distraught love one can be challenging.

The medical examiner assistant will likely also need to be present during on-site examinations. These occur when a person’s body is first discovered and the coroner’s office is called. The coroner’s assistant will aid in the collection of any specimens and will help to ensure that the body is transported according to the protocol that is set forth by the medical examiner’s office. This is one of the reasons that a pathology assistant must be comfortable dealing with deceased individuals and must also be prepared for just about any scenario involving death.

After the deceased is first brought to the coroner’s office there is a basic examination done that checks for any lacerations or wounds. This is often left to the medical examiner assistant to take care of and they document any findings for review by the pathologist. During the actual autopsy they may also need to participate by collecting samples and specimens that will be later reviewed under a microscope or sent to a laboratory for further testing. Therefore they must be well-versed in proper collection techniques including labeling the samples.

In recent years the number of medical assistant jobs have steadily increased. One reason for this trend seems to be the affordability of certified medical assistants, who provide an essential service to a doctor. In contrast, hiring a physician’s assistant or registered nurse to handle the tasks designated to a medical assistant, would prove too costly.

Job Description

The responsibilities that this type of assistant is ultimately responsible for, generally varies from one clinic to another. Essentially most medical assistants are holding administrative positions. They are therefore responsible for maintaining the records, billing and laboratory reports for that particular office. Although this may seem like something of a mundane or non-technical task, special training or extensive experience is required in order for the individual to do a thorough job.

Most people don’t think twice about how important it is for all the small administrative tasks to be taken care of properly at the physician’s office. For instance, booking patient appointments may seem like a rather simple job but it’s actually quite complicated. One of the jobs for a medical assistant is to ensure the doctor’s schedule is filled for the day.

However, they must also ensure that should an emergency arise, the doctor will be able to accommodate that patient. Add to this the pressures of updating patient charts, calling in prescriptions and requesting laboratory reports, and it’s easy to see how busy a medical assistant can be.

Specialized Employment

In addition to working in a general practitioner’s office, there are many medical assistant jobs in more specialized medical environments. For instance, chiropractors, optometrists and obstetricians all utilize the services of medical assistants on an on-going basis. For someone who accepts a position in this type of setting they can expect to receive more specialized medical assistant training which will allow them to earn more eventually.

Nursing homes are another type of medical facility that often turns to medical assistants. In a nursing home the jobs for medical assistants can range from handling all the related paper work for admissions and also the ongoing patient information, to being responsible for the administering of medication to the patients.

Easy Job Search

As with registered nurses there are more and more medical assistant jobs opportunities opening up for those who qualify for them. Many decide to work on a full-time basis while others prefer the convenience of only working part-time. In addition some medical assistants work on a contract basis filling in when others are absent because of maternity leave or personal days.

Once a person has become a registered or certified medical assistant they can expect to be able to choose from a number of open positions. Obviously this will vary somewhat depending on which area of the country they live in, but it’s good to know that should they decide to relocate, their credentials will remain intact.

Average Salaries of Medical Assistant Jobs

According to the American Association of Medical Assistants, the average pay for a certified medical assistant (CMA) is $27,951, with experienced CMAs earning over $38,000 per year.

There are many opportunities for career advancement with online medical assistant programs. Medical assistants work in comfortable professional environments providing administrative and clinical services to patients in facilities around the country.

They perform the necessary tasks that keep these facilities operating smoothly and are considered to be a very important part of the health provider’s team.

Job description

• Organize and maintain patient files and records.• Assist the patient in preparing insurance forms.• Must communicate well with patients both in person and over the phone.• Maintain organized office routine with efficient scheduling practices.• Must understand and be able to explain treatment plans with patients.• Task may vary depending on the particular employment setting so the ability to adapt to a variety of situations and tasks is important.

For anyone interested in becoming a part of this rapidly growing career field it is important to find a program that meets your needs. There are many online medical assistant programs that will help you meet the education requirements for this industry.

Choosing one that works well with your time limitations, family responsibilities, and financial resources will have a large influence on the student’s success in the program. Here are three schools who offer medical assistant programs:

Making the decision to pursue certification should not be taken lightly. It will require the research necessary to choose a program that you feel you can be successful in and that will satisfy your needs once you are complete. It may be a good idea to research your particular area to determine the requirements for employment, then verify that the educational program you choose will satisfy these requirements.

For example, St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants is accredited by “The National Accreditation and Certification Board.” You will want to know that you will be employable by the medical providers in your area upon completion of this program.

Advantages of an online education

The expense and length of traditional university education can make continuing education difficult for some people. With the structure and format of these new types of degree programs, many people are able to meet their career goals while saving a great deal of time and money. They also provide you with the freedom to work at your own pace.

If you are in a hurry, you can really focus and complete a program in as little as 6 or 8 weeks. If you need more time, that is okay too. You set the pace and you can cover all the material without feeling the pressure of meeting deadlines.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics report that career opportunities for medical assistants will increase faster than average through 2018. This is a high growth industry and many educational programs are available to help people get their start in this career and enjoy competitive salary with job security for many years to come. A great place to start would to choose one of these online medical assistant programs.

What makes medical assisting an attractive occupation? Have you ever browsed through medical assistant programs to get an insight of what you can learn with this kind of training?

Employment opportunities for medical assistant jobs are rising. They’re a necessary part of the medical team, especially in physician’s clinics or other health practitioners like podiatrists, chiropractors and optometrists.

A medical assistant provides support for the health care professional performing both administrative and clinical functions. The smaller the workplace, the broader your responsibilities and the more well-rounded you become as an allied health worker.

What Training Will You Need

Many medical assistants have found jobs meeting just the minimum requirement: a high school diploma. Some have a little office work experience, others volunteer experience in a medical setting. But generally, they learned everything on the job. Their employers invested in them, training them as they went along or eventually sent them to any accredited medical assisting schools to learn the basics or to upgrade their skills later.

But the health care system today is a bit more complex as it serves more patients and with insurance playing a big part in the process. So many employers now lean towards workers with formal training and some medical background and even give preference to those holding certifications as proof of their competence.

Formal medical assistant training is either through a diploma or certificate program, which can be completed between nine to 12 months; or you can choose to prepare more extensively and take up a medical assisting associate degree.

Medical assistant programs are numerous, and whichever you eventually decide on the main criteria should be its accreditation either with the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. There are 700 accredited medical assistant programs as of 2009, both online and traditional.

What Courses Are Included In Medical Assistant Programs

So what can you expect from a medical assistant program? As previously mentioned, your job is divided into two categories: clerical/administrative and clinical. If you worked in a bigger medical facility, there may be specific tasks assigned to you. But often in smaller workplaces like doctor’s clinics, you will have to fill in both roles. Necessarily, your training is two-pronged to meet this requirement.

Administrative Courses

The coursework for administrative skills will include basic office procedures, keyboarding and computer operations, English composition and communication, medical coding and insurance processing, record-keeping, and medical transcription. These may vary depending on the school or program you are pursuing. If you plan on becoming a medical office assistant, you’ll go through every one of these courses.

Clinical Courses

The clinical portion includes subjects on anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, microbiology, endocrinology, clinical laboratory procedures, first aid and basic patient care. Some advance medical assistant programs may offer radiology, phlebotomy or venipuncture and ECG operations that will also lead to additional medical assistant certification.

The curriculum will vary depending on the kind of program you choose to pursue. With a diploma or certificate program, you only have at most 12 months to complete the course and this will – as per state requirements – include instructional and laboratory classes plus externship.

The didactics make up about 60 to 70% of the program, but the clinicals are just as important in order to put theory into practice and become a confident worker. Medical assistant schools in Michigan may require more hours than in NYC or CT, so you must first check on these before enrolling.

Medical assistant programs with advance courses may mean more investment, but in the end these additional skills and certification will give you an added advantage when seeking employment, it could also lead to a higher salary. Presently, the average medical assistant salary ranges from $22,000 to $31,000 and the disparity is largely due to education.

Now that you have a heads up on what to expect from medical assistant programs, you can make that all important decision whether this is a career you will want to pursue or not.

Of the medical assistant schools in California, Cabrillo College offers a medical assistant program that grants a certificate of achievement, if you want the abbreviated version, or an associate science degree to include general education subjects. The training is extensive and by graduation, students should have more than just basic skills in medical assisting but should be adept at phlebotomy, EKG and other lab testing aside from administrative skills. Testing for the national certification exam is the ultimate goal. This is a CAAHEP accredited program. A good balance between theory and laboratory sessions harnesses the skills and competence of each student enrolled at the Career Care Institute. Instructional sessions are immediately put into practice in laboratory classrooms. After completion of the coursework, a 160-hour externship must also be completed to finally qualify for national certification testing. The school is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education and the Bureau for Postsecondary Education.

Programs:

Unitek College™ is a privately held vocational school dedicated to helping you gain the skills needed to advance your career or begin a brand new career. Your training at Unitek College will position you to take advantage of the rising demand for experts in allied health, nursing, and technology professions. Our programs include Medical Assisting, Pharmacy Technician, Dental Assisting, Vocational Nursing, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing: RN-to-BSN Degree Completion.

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Brightwood College offers accelerated programs that combine flexible schedules and professional instruction to create a rewarding learning experience for individuals focused on gaining the skills for specific careers. Brightwood College is owned and operated by Education Corporation of America.

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Since 1996, Southern California Health Institute has been dedicated and committed to helping students achieve their dreams by providing an exceptional education that enables them to become skilled and successful manual therapists. We have graduated over 1,500 students who are now a part of a larger community of wellness and healthcare.

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American Career College (ACC) offers hands-on training that will prepare students for careers in the healthcare industry at three campuses in Los Angeles, Ontario, and Orange County, California. ACC's programs combine classroom lectures and hands-on training to prepare students for a Diploma or Associate of Occupational Science degree.

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Since 1977, Keiser University has provided quality student-centered, career-focused education. Keiser University Online offers degree programs online to prepare students for in-demand professions. Degrees are offered with a curriculum that is in pace with technology and workforce demand trends in business, criminal justice, health care, information technology and more. Our “one-class-at-a-time” approach allows busy students to focus on their education and balance the demands of work and family.

Why Keiser University Online?

Online Convenience, Personalized Attention

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Congratulations! Your interest in California College San Diego is an important first step toward changing your life. A career-focused degree is the key to a new career with a potentially higher income, better benefits, and more satisfaction.